The Best Beginners Drum Sets for the Money

We remember getting our first drum set for Christmas when we were 4 years old. Although we couldn’t do much, it was quite a fun activity for such a young one to slam on some snares and toms and get a rhythm going. We stuck with that set for quite a few years as it was pretty feasible for the learning process. Nowadays, there are some very solid drum sets for beginners that won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Whether you’re shopping for a young one (like us when we started), or are merely looking for a set for yourself to get started (regardless of age), we found some great models to take a look at.

How to Choose Your Starter Drum Kit

Your budget – This is an obvious and with all of our guides, we present this as #1 on our checklist. We grabbed a few models to recommend as the best beginners drum set that spanned through different price points, however with starter sets, we’re getting a decent range to be honest — some for a relatively affordable price (from $100 and up) and others that come with high quality (cost around the $300 and up range). Which way you want to go really depends on your needs for quality or saving cash, and which you’d like to sacrifice. If you plan on having the set for more than 3 years, we’d say go higher and invest in a solid set. Otherwise, grabbing a cheaper kit for the time being is also an option if you plan on upgrading later.

What age? There are some “junior” and “senior” sets. Ultimately for kids, either will be fine. Junior sets are sized a bit smaller but all can work for them. If you are indeed an adult, we’d stay away from a junior set and stick with our first few options listed. Otherwise, the kids models are the last two sets in this article.

How many pieces? The most common drum set piece count is 5-piece (kick, snare, hi-hat, toms, crash). There may be some other counts out there with a few additional pieces, but we stuck with this to remain objective and narrow down the choices. You can always add-on to the set later with individual parts.

Some create their own sets. In this article we provide a few models that are already complete sets. If you’d like to do some more research, you can build your own (grabbing a separate kick drum, snare, hi-hat, crash and perhaps toms). For beginners however, we recommend sticking with an already built set and can add-on or substitute once you become more accustomed to drumming. Another article you may like is our shopping for drums guide which helps spell out what to look for when shopping not only for sets but piece-by-piece as well in case you want to build your own.

What about electric sets? We wanted to put this in here just in case. Although a majority of you are specifically looking for a real drum set, be sure to at least take into consideration reading our electronic drum set for beginners for some other options.

The Best Drum Sets for Beginners

The following are our picks as the best drum sets for beginners. As seen in our best drum sets guide, we included both entry-level and professional models to take a look at, but below we’ve really focus on beginner kits for your starting drumming adventures. We did some hefty research and asking around to narrow down the search to just a few popular models in the market. Which exact set that is best for you or your beginner is dependent on the few aspects we listed up top.

Let us know if you have any questions or concerns in the comments!

Mendini MDS80

This is rated and reviewed very highly by users around the net which steered us towards listing it as the #1 best drum sets for beginners on the list. In terms of price point, it is on the lower end of the spectrum we had previously spoken about. Mendini is a popular budget-friendly brand on the internet when it comes to already-made drum sets. Some benefits of the MDS80 include it comes with everything you’ll need out of the box (kick drum pedal, a pair of sticks, and adjustable seat). You get your snare, kick, hi-hat, two top toms, floor tom, and crash. This drum set has been praised for it’s sturdy and suitable quality (which is one of the most important parts of a drum set since you’ll be slamming sticks on it). Not to mention it’s available in almost 10 colors. We recommend this for those looking to have a set for a year or two and want a cheaper option with a reliable build.

dDrum D2

This is our second choice for best beginners drum set and it’s a decent jump up when it comes to price. However, you’re getting what you pay for: better quality pieces. This is another 5-piece kit giving us the necessities right out of the box (you also get some sticks and a bag). The snare drum especially has been praised for it’s tone and quality. The hats have had some criticism but we’re talking about a beginner’s set here, not a Zildjan made metal finish — we wouldn’t be too concerned if it’s for a beginner. Ddrum is another brand that’s more internet-based and known for their cost-friendly musical instruments so you’re getting trust when it comes to brand reputation. You get some color choices with this one as well. A solid choice.

Pearl Roadshow

Here’s one of the best brands out there: Pearl. These aren’t quite budget-friendly; however, if you want some of the nicest builds ever, grab a Pearl set. This is one of their cheapest yet most reliable drum sets for beginners and we wanted to include at least one of these in this article. With the Roadshow sets, you’re getting the typical 5-piece set here, with of course some criticism with the crash and hats, but the overall set is super solid and worth the money if you want to go up this high. We’re big fans of Pearl sets (as you can tell), and if you’re a beginner looking to invest in a drum set that you’ll be using for more than a few years, we’d grab this one.

Mendini MJDS-5

Our first Mendini choice was labeled a “senior” set (although as stated previously, it can work with all ages ultimately). This here is an option we feel for the best drum set for a beginning junior. It’s one of the best sellers in drum sets on the internet for a reason. You’re getting everything right out of the box: a seat (adjustable), drum sticks, and the essential 5-piece set. With numerous color options for your young one and a solid build, you can’t ask for anything more for your little one. It’s recommend for ages 3-7. If you’re shopping for a set for your young one, we wouldn’t look any further.

Gammon Percussion 5-Piece Junior

Here’s another solid option as the best beginners drum set if you aren’t feeling the Mendini set. This again comes with all necessities for your young one: all 5-pieces, adjustable seat, sticks and hat pedal. The shells are made of real wood and are finished with a nice gloss. It’s also available in numerous colors which is always important for the junior you’re getting it for. It hovers around the same price as the previous Mendini set so it really comes down to preference and what you read from the user reviews. We’d still stick with the previous model for a junior.

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